Seven Key Tips

Suggestions for mastering excellent study skills, time management and preparing for examinations

• Avoid using a computer whilst revising at all costs as it usually leads to distractions. If you really have to use a computer, do not connect it to the Internet unless it is part of that specific work. If you have to connect it to the Internet, stick to the website you need to be on.
• Do not confuse activity with accomplishment. Doing time is what prisoners do. Spending time in front of your books and making yourself feel good is of no use. It will not make any difference to your exam grade.
• Do not feel demotivated if you have spent the time and you think you have not understood the material you have studied well enough. You may use different highlighting pens to mark areas that you need to understand better so you can focus on those areas and learn them more. Use a different colour highlighting pen to mark areas that you need to ask your teacher to explain or discuss with a friend who is studying the same course.
• Make sure your mobile phone is turned off – NO, do not use it as a calculator. Same goes for the home telephone; if you cannot take the home telephone off the wall; ensure that somebody else picks it up. Most things can always wait. Telephones are a huge distraction.
• Have two calculators – possibly of exactly the same type, with the same functions and buttons. So much precious time is often wasted trying to find out where a particular button is on a calculator that you are not familiar with. Actually get into the habit of taking two calculators to an exam hall. It can cost you marks if one stops working for some reason or another.
• Think seriously about a default diary. They can get you into a routing for studying – try Google Diary for organising your time. It is free and both the parent and the student can use it and agree to both have access to it so the reminders can be sent and time spent can be monitored.
• NEVER use your mobile as a calculator. Not in your private study, not in your revision time, not in the classroom as you can’t use one during the examinations.

Be focused and DO NOT FOOL YOURSELF. Stick to the schedule and actually spend it studying and not on computer games or other distractions.

Suggested Blocks of Study Time for Effective Study Skills